The dawn broke is an exhibit comprised of four mixed media / collage works paired with a poem. The poem can be presented as a printed paper handout and/or as vinyl text on the gallery wall.
This work is about finding natural balance and buoyancy in the world just as it is, as we are. Earth tones and salvaged kraft paper speak to the inescapability of our connection to earthly forces, despite our many and varied attempts otherwise. The poem, originally self-published in a chapbook in 2013, is a humorous and poignant nod to the human desire to improve or elevate everything to do with ourselves.
“What the dawn said”
The dawn broke
and it told me
You don’t have
to be amazing
There’s no special
thing you need
to accomplish
in this life
No great potential
you must meet
What is the
opposite of
amazing? asked
the morning light
You needn’t be
that either
No matter what
your friends pretend
on facebook
Awesome
is a cheap game
for the uninitiated
Every leaf knows better
and so do you
Hang out with
me a while
chirped the robin
as she did
her thing
(you know –
the stuff robins
do without really
thinking about it)
It was very
uninspiring
nothing great about
it at all
Then the honeybees did
their dance
and someone got
very excited and
called it a
miracle
Not really said
one of the bees
I’m just doing
what feels right
and soon – in a week or two
I’ll be dead and my family
will push my body out onto the ground
But I insist
on the awesomeness
of being awesome!
boomed a voice
Haven’t you heard about crowdsourcing and 3-D printing?
What about TED talks
and following your passion
for making the world a better
and really interesting place?
And google goggles!
You can make a
big noise if you like
said the sunset
And the waves chuckled
good-naturedly
as they
rolled
in
and
out